Changeup Help

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Apr 17, 2019
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Hey my first post here, my daughter is an 11 yo pitcher, we've been working on her change up for a good while now. Her issues is that on release she has her hand behind the ball and as a result she's not getting as much as a drop in speed or spin as she should. She throws the horse shoe change up right now, she's tried the flip/backhand, also the shovel change, she doesn't like either of those and wants to stick with the horse shoe.

Does anyone have any drills or advice to help her get her knuckles more to 3rd base when releasing to take off the spin? On video she lets go of the ball then gets her knuckles to third, if she holds on any longer the pitch comes out too high.
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
If she is throwing it too fast start putting knuckles on the ball (adjust the grip). This can be difficult at first with small hands but she will adjust.

My DD through a shovel change as her primary pitch as was lethal from 10u to 18u (with an average fastball).
 
Apr 17, 2019
194
28
If she is throwing it too fast start putting knuckles on the ball (adjust the grip). This can be difficult at first with small hands but she will adjust.

My DD through a shovel change as her primary pitch as was lethal from 10u to 18u (with an average fastball).

Thanks for the reply, she already puts 1 knuckle on the ball recommended by her pitching coach, but that didnt really help. Do you have any pictures of the grip you are talking about?
 
Nov 18, 2015
1,585
113
Is she already stiffening the fingers? I believe that was the advice given (by Mr. Pauly?) in one of the earlier horseshoe change up threads.

Or maybe the term was "paralyzed" fingers.
 
Jul 22, 2015
851
93
Try keeping the horseshoe grip (no knuckles, just fingers) but move the ball against the palm and back into the pinky and ring fingers, so that the first two fingers are draped over the front of the ball but not gripping it. On release, try to tilt the hand down and "drag" through release, not whip through.
 
Apr 17, 2019
194
28
Try keeping the horseshoe grip (no knuckles, just fingers) but move the ball against the palm and back into the pinky and ring fingers, so that the first two fingers are draped over the front of the ball but not gripping it. On release, try to tilt the hand down and "drag" through release, not whip through.

Thanks I'll have her give that a try.

Can someone explain "paralyzed" fingers, I tried searching for a description of what it is but couldn't find it.
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
The knuckles on the ball are more of a teach than an actual technique. As she advances in skill and develops better feel for the pitch she can learn to use proper finger pressure, lay the middle and index flat while not tipping the pitch.
 
Apr 17, 2019
194
28
paralyzed = keeping the fingers straight, rather than wrapping around the ball. (At least that's how I interpreted it - I'll try to find the original thread). It's worked for me, but I'm still only at a 10U-level for speed, and 8U for consistency!

That seems like with her small hands, the ball would either slip out of her hands early or she would slow her arm down to keep it from happening.
 

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